Thread by @ReporterTired

Okay, this will be like crying out in the desert, and Twitter is unlikely to actively show this thread in English, but we have to try. Maybe something will come of it. So, a thread about the Russian opposition for an English-speaking audience.

So, what's wrong with Russian opposition? For Ukrainians, the answer here is simple and obvious, like the simplest arithmetic examples: all Russians, including opposition members, are imperialists. And most of them categorically deny this.

Russia is an empire. For centuries, this state has expanded its territories at the expense of other states and nations. The local population was persecuted, uprisings were suppressed, language and culture were allowed only in limited amounts or banned.

This was done by Tsarist Russia. It was done during the USSR. It is being done by Russia now. When Russians start defending the rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine, they break down on one simple question: how many Ukrainian-language schools and libraries are there in Russia?

Moving on. People with an imperial mindset treat former territories that have fought for their independence as their own lands. That is why such progressive and opposition-minded Russians tell Ukrainians how to build their state.

It would seem that liberal Russians should not be interested in how decolonization is happening in Ukraine. How streets are being renamed and monuments to whom are erected to. And which monuments are dismantled. However, you can regularly see Russians giving advice to Ukrainians.

A fresh example is the renaming of streets in Odesa. For example, Zhvanetsky Street, who, just to remind you, accepted awards from Putin. Ukrainians and Ukrainian authorities can decide for themselves whether it is worth naming streets after such a person.

But what do we see? Liberal Russians express their dissatisfaction, even on social networks. They evaluate whether this renaming was correct. Dear ones, why do you even fucking care? We can handle it without you.

However, Russians do not understand that they are imperialists. Because to do so, one has to reflect on this problem. In liberal community and at the societal level. But this hasn`t happened.

The second thing. The Russian opposition categorically denies the guilt of ordinary Russians in the war against Ukraine. They place all responsibility solely on Putin. And they explain that Russians do not oppose the war, do not protest because they fear this government.

This could be true. But we saw how Russians in border regions took to mass protests when they lost power. And somehow the fear of police vans and the terrible Russian police did not stop them. So, maybe the problem is not in fear?

Maybe the problem is that the majority of ordinary Russians either support the war or simply do not care? And if suddenly the Russian opposition admits this, it turns out that they, as part of Russian society, are responsible for this war?

Maybe if they admit that Russians support the war, they will have to admit that there is something wrong with Russian society? That Russian society is far from the values of democracy? That Russian society is imperialistic?

Maybe if they admit that Russian society is imperialistic, they will have to admit that the Russian opposition does not influence any processes within Russia? That the opposition has no authority there? Has no critical mass of supporters?

They will have to admit that the Russian opposition cannot offer a simple and understandable idea, except for an essentially imperial one, which the majority of Russians would support? I can understand the Russian opposition. Admitting such things is painful. But it is necessary.

In fact, Ukrainians understood all this about Russians and the Russian opposition 10 years ago when Russians started a war against Ukraine in Crimea and Donbas. The problem is that now these simple and obvious things need to be explained to our Western partners.

Then statements that only Putin is to blame for the war will not be a surprise. After all, it is not Putin assembles rockets and drones in factories. It is not Putin gets into a plane to drop bombs on Kharkiv. On the front line are not 690,000 Putins, not ordinary Russians.

Therefore, just like the Russian opposition, our Western partners need to understand a simple thing: Russian opposition, besides being imperialistic, does not influence the processes within Russia. And it has no expertise on the situation in the Russia.